Millerton has sheriff talk at meeting on hiring deputies

MILLERTON — With the future of police services possibly shifting gears in Millerton, the Village Board held a special workshop on Tuesday, March 29, with the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) present to speak about the services it could provide the village.

In addition to the entire Village Board and Dutchess County Acting Sheriff Kirk Imperati being present, nearly 50 residents from both the village and town came to the 6 p.m. meeting in the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex. (Recordings are at www.villageofmillerton.net and on the “Town of North East New York” YouTube channel).

DCSO breakdown

Imperati and other DCSO officials outlined services the DCSO would provide if the village decides to dissolve the part-time Millerton Police Department (MPD) and instead contract with the Sheriff’s Office for police services.

First, though, the Imperati said the DCSO is “450 [deputies] large, has a Corrections Division as well, and a $500 million budget that I’m responsible for.”

He also emphasized the strong relationships his department has with the many communities it serves. He noted all deputies, whether full or part time, must be Dutchess County residents.

The acting sheriff, who took over following the death of Sheriff Adrian “Butch” Anderson last October and is running for the office this November, said the DCSO is invested in local communities. It wants to bridge the gap between community and law enforcement, he said, pointing to how the DCSO has tried to become more community-involved.

“Our job is to help people, our job is to be there for people and that’s what we want to continue to stress.”

He also spoke of the range of available DCSO resources.

“When you get the Sheriff’s Office, you get the entire Sheriff’s Office,” he said, whether that means regular patrol officers, detectives, its crime scene division, its crime patrol, its community liaison — all at no additional cost.

Trustees question sheriff

Once the DCSO finished its presentation, Mayor Jenn Najdek allowed questions from the Village Board first.

Trustee Dave Sherman posed the first question, asking if it was possible for the DCSO to increase its police presence in Millerton and North East, with additional patrols in the Harlem Valley.

Imperati said the DCSO has a substation on Route 22 in Amenia; if the village hires them they will set up a substation in Millerton and assign patrols to the Millerton-North East area.

Sherman asked how the substation would be arranged. Imperati said the Village Board would have to work with the county’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro to arrange a contract for a Millerton substation, adding it would be manned 24/7 in three shifts.

The substation would replace the current MPD in Village Hall on Route 22.

The mayor asked for all questions at the workshop to be posed by village residents and business owners only. She requested town residents hold their questions on how the town will deal with police services for the North East Town Board meeting set for Thursday, April 14, at 7 p.m. at the North East Town Hall at 19 North Maple Ave.

Najdek further explained the town of North East currently contracts with Millerton for police services, paying roughly 20% of the overall annual cost.

With the village’s police contract set to expire on Tuesday, May 31, she said the board  has been reassessing whether it makes sense to continue to fund and insure the MPD.

Residents ask questions

During the next half hour, village residents posed sharp questions to Imperati and his colleagues; the mayor and her board continued to do so as well.

Peter Greenough asked DCSO representatives about their major concerns in the village; the response was theft and drug sales and use.

Former Mayor Debbie Middlebrook asked about how deputies will be supervised; she was told each shift would be supervised by a lieutenant or sergeant.

Village Trustee Alicia Sartori inquired about the type and frequency of training done by the DCSO.

DCSO Chief Deputy Detective Sgt. Jason Mark responded.

“We train every month with firearms and have refreshers on different items. It’s so important, and we understand it’s important to stay on the cutting edge and important for police to stay current. We have body cameras that go into place this year, which was a long-term project…”

Mark added that Imperati’s motto is, “Be better today than yesterday, be better tomorrow than were today.”

On that note, the acting sheriff said, “Our ultimate tool in the tool box is discretion. We don’t have to arrest people; we get them the help they need. If, ultimately, we have to arrest an individual, yes, that’s what we do. But our job is to help people. That’s what we stress.”

Liability a major point

Ed Stillman asked about liability.

“Currently, if anything unthinkable happens, and we’re exposed to liability, that falls on the village, regardless if in the town or village,” said Stillman. “If we contract with the DCSO, we would absolve ourselves of liability?”

“Correct,” replied Imperati. “The county would take it on.”

The mayor later stressed that point.

“It would take the liability off the village,” said Najdek. “It would be just about the exact same coverage [as we have with the MPD now] and they will have a substation here, but with zero liability [for the village].”

Christine Bates asked if the DCSO will continue to report on local crime and safety to the Village Board as the MPD has done for years. She also asked if the DCSO knows when its presence will be most needed.

Imperati replied that a liaison, likely one of the deputies who lives locally, could report to the Village Board.

Cost always a concern

Former MPD Officer-in-Charge Dave Rudin, who now works as a patrol officer on the force,  thanked the acting sheriff and other deputies for coming and asked about cost.

“Can you speak to how much the contract is for the village of Pawling and how many hours a day [you patrol]?”

“It costs $190,000 a year for eight hours day, seven days week, plus additional patrols during the summer for Lakeside Park, etc., and during the holidays when people are shopping and on weekends for parking enforcement, etc.,” said Imperati about the sheriff’s coverage in Pawling.

Rudin followed up and asked if Millerton contracted with the DCSO for the same number of patrols, if Imperati had “done the numbers yet?”

Imperati did not provide those figures.

What’s next

If the village does contract with the DCSO, Najdek said the Village Board will have to introduce a local law to dissolve the MPD, subject to a permissive referendum. However, she said the contract will be dependent upon whether the local law moves forward.